The players from Round 10 of the AJBC championship held in Butterworth, Penang. — Courtesy photo
KIERA Wong Yin Xuen booked her place in the Allianz Junior Badminton Championship (AJBC) 2025 Grand Finals after sweeping both the Girls’ Under-15 Singles and Doubles titles at the 10th and final qualifying round in Butterworth, Penang.
The SMK Puchong Jaya (B) student partnered with K. Nehaa Barathi from Sri KDU Kota Damansara to win the Girls’ U-15 Doubles, defeating Melody Heng Yen Xe and Ooi Chu Han of SMJK Jit Sin SKK in the final.
Kiera also clinched the U-15 Singles crown by overcoming Tan Zhi Ying of SMK St Mark, who was last year’s second runner-up in the Girls’ U-13 Singles and also placed second in the Girls’ U-13 Doubles.
Zhi Ying, 14, moved from her hometown of Ipoh to Penang last year to train full-time at Lee KS Badminton Academy.
She now lives with her coach in Butterworth.
“I do miss my parents, but they visit me quite often so it’s not too bad. My focus is solely on badminton and I’m happy with that decision,” said Zhi Ying.
In the Boys’ U-15 Singles, Fong Carson of SMJK Keat Hwa triumphed over Nur Izz Danish of SMK Tun Perak.
Carson later returned to the court in the doubles final with partner Ng Chia Tin of SMK Pengkalan Lebai Man, but the pair lost to Bernard Tieu Kang Zheng (SMK St Mark) and Thariinas NS Javaseelan (SMK Taman Inderawasih).
In the Boys’ U-13 category, Jorus Lee Yi H’Ng from SJKC Kampung Valdor defeated Nur Izz Daniel to win the singles title.
The doubles crown went to Lim Yu Hong (Jit Sin Independent High School) and Teh Thean Le (SMJK Heng Ee), who overcame Ashton Khoo and Tan Yi Jun, also from SMJK Heng Ee.
In the Girls’ U-13, Izzriya Batrisya of SMK Bandar Baru Sungai Long beat Chuah Tian Ning of SMK Methodist in the singles final.
Tian Ning teamed up with Jit Sin Independent High School’s Cynthia Ooi to win the doubles, defeating Lee Jie Yu (SMJK Heng Ee) and Syarifah Fashira Dayana (SMK Machang Bubuk).
The Penang leg saw 304 players compete, marking the final stop of 10 qualifying rounds leading up to the year-end Grand Finals.
The AJBC 2025 Grand Finals, powered by MoveNow, will take place in Kuala Lumpur from Nov 5 to 9, featuring finalists from the U-13 and U-15 categories.
Each round sees 24 juniors qualify for the Grand Finals.
Participation in the qualifying rounds remains free, with the top three winners receiving RM500, RM300 and RM150 in the singles categories, and RM600, RM400 and RM200 for doubles.
At the Grand Finals, top three winners will receive RM1,000, RM600 and RM300 (singles), and RM1,200, RM800 and RM400 (doubles).
The AJBC is supported by the Education Ministry’s Sports, Co-curricular and Arts Division and the Badminton Association of Malaysia.
